**Official** West Indies in England 2012

[BoyBrumby]

Someone said Onions was shyte earlier in the thread; suspect it was our chum CWB. Hope his one eye was focussed on today's play. Bowled a storm.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Well that was a decent day for us i'd say, especially when we're missing Chanders, Samuels is just looking a class above right now and i'm delighted for him as he's always had the talent to be a top player, once Gayle comes back the batting unit will certainly start to look a damn lot better, just hope someone can sort out that 3rd position, Fudadin looked solid today for his modest score but he'll need more in the second dig to convice us he can cut it,

Hopefully we can push this to 300 and then i think we can put them under a little pressure, get them out for under 250 then it's certainly game on, the Narine factor is gonna be interesting, we all saw how England struggled against Ajmal and if this pitch gives even an inch in assistence then Narine WILL make it count imo.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Well that was a decent day for us i'd say, especially when we're missing Chanders, Samuels is just looking a class above right now and i'm delighted for him as he's always had the talent to be a top player, once Gayle comes back the batting unit will certainly start to look a damn lot better, just hope someone can sort out that 3rd position, Fudadin looked solid today for his modest score but he'll need more in the second dig to convice us he can cut it,

Hopefully we can push this to 300 and then i think we can put them under a little pressure, get them out for under 250 then it's certainly game on, the Narine factor is gonna be interesting, we all saw how England struggled against Ajmal and if this pitch gives even an inch in assistence then Narine WILL make it count imo.

Unless England follow on West Indies' chance of winning is very small. England have a much better chance because of the time remaining. West Indies would have to give England a great chance of winning to have a realistic chance of winning themselves. On the other hand if we get the full 196 overs then England only have to avoid the follow-on to have a shot at winning. Because they don't have to risk defeat to win. England can just get to the follow-on mark and then notch up the aggression - whatever happens England can bowl WI out in 60-70 overs and have a dash at chasing it in 30-40 overs.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Unless England follow on West Indies' chance of winning is very small. England have a much better chance because of the time remaining. West Indies would have to give England a great chance of winning to have a realistic chance of winning themselves. On the other hand if we get the full 196 overs then England only have to avoid the follow-on to have a shot at winning. Because they don't have to risk defeat to win. England can just get to the follow-on mark and then notch up the aggression - whatever happens England can bowl WI out in 60-70 overs and have a dash at chasing it in 30-40 overs.

In the last test didn't we bowl a spell of 168-8 in half a day? so it's not impossible that if we manage to have a lead near the 200 going into England's second innings that we could win this with two and a half sessions to go, especially when we have a massive threat in our attack now in Narine which we haven't had in the first two tests, i know it's probably wishful thinking but anything is possible in this game.

 

[Scaly piscine]

In the last test didn't we bowl a spell of 168-8 in half a day? so it's not impossible that if we manage to have a lead near the 200 going into England second innings that we could we win this with two and a half sessions to go, especially when we have a massive threat in our attack now in Narine which we haven't had in the first two tests, i know it's probably wishful thinking but anything is possible in this game.

There are 196 overs remaining, best case scenario.

If West Indies score 300 there goes a few more plus change of innings. So we're below 190.

If England are passing the follow on total you're getting to 120 overs and under.

At best and being brave West Indies could set 250 in 70 overs. Given West Indies bowling attack, the conditions and the forecast that is a hell of a lot of things that need to click in to place for a win without the follow on.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Samuels on fire

 

[Jacknife]

Onions was easily the stand out bowler today. All the way through the day he didn't give the batsmen a inch, always at them, constantly asking questions and also had countless play and misses and edges through 4th slip area for 4.

Finn I feel always tries too hard when given a chance too impress, he just seems so desperate to take his chance. Instead of bowling a nice line and length and testing the batsman's patience he tries to bowl a few too many miracle balls and just tends to be too impatient. Don't get me wrong though he bowled pretty well all day, he had a couple of dollies dropped at slip and he also had a ton of play and misses but you can so tell how desperate he is to take a boat load of wickets.

I think both teams will be relatively happy, England because the replacement bowlers have bowled well enough on probably the flattest track this series and WI because they've got runs on the board.

 

[NUFAN]

Someone said Onions was shyte earlier in the thread; suspect it was our chum CWB. Hope his one eye was focussed on today's play. Bowled a storm.

Pretty sure it was Biryani Pillow who didn't rate Onions.

Interesting days play, the dropped catches helped WI. Assuming we get 2 full days it could be interesting.

Ideally I would like to see WI declare overnight. Eng make 200 dec. from 50 overs. WI make 200 from say 65 overs and England try to chase down 280 from 75 overs.

I don't know if the captains would agree, but from a viewing perspective, it would be fun.

 

[roseboy64]

Does anyone actually make runs in domestic cricket in the West Indies? I don't mean that to be facetious or anything, there just seems to be a never-ending stream of players with such poor averages coming in.

Players don't really put together consecutive high scoring seasons often. Usually only a great and mediocre season needed or a mediocre season with flashy play gets you in.

 

[roseboy64]

Yeah fair enough. It doesn't happen that often does it? Where a bloke does so moderately for so long before just having a great series, especially away. How old is he now? Close to 30? I know Waugh had played a lot of tests but he was still a young man in 89.

He did well against South Africa away the second to last series before his ban.

 

[Spark]

Onions? Well, he has the a few things to say. Give me back Jimmy Anderson. I don't like Onions. I don't use it in my food.

!

 

[Spikey]

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees

 

[vic_orthdox]

 

[Spikey]

can't believe i'm starting to like this guy

 

[Biryani Pillow]

Pretty sure it was Biryani Pillow who didn't rate Onions.

I didn't say I didn't rate him.

I certainly don't rate hime as highly s Finn who has everything there to be a major Test performer.

I feel Onions is hugely overated on here - given too much credit for a decent spell when some very ineffective ones are quickly forgotten (maybe a case of absence causing a selective memory). I suspect England have better in the pipeline and possibly nearly ready.

 

[Spark]

Tremlett > Onions >>> Finn.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

Tremlett > Onions >>> Finn.

Tremlett if fit (unlikely).

Then Finn for me.

 

[NUFAN]

I didn't say I didn't rate him.

I certainly don't rate hime as highly s Finn who has everything there to be a major Test performer.

I feel Onions is hugely overated on here - given too much credit for a decent spell when some very ineffective ones are quickly forgotten (maybe a case of absence causing a selective memory). I suspect England have better in the pipeline and possibly nearly ready.

Oh okay. I just figured you mustn't rate a guy when you would bet with no worry that he wouldn't play another Test..

Far from bollocks.

Onions has bowled several ordinary to poor spells in his short Test career - rather fewer good ones.

Any situation which suits his style of bowling will be far better for Anderson, Broad and Bresnan and they are better in other situations.

I've never seen him look better than a standard "English pitch" seamer.

and

And if I were a betting man I'd put a tenner down without worry that Onions will not play another Tset. He always seemed to get an easy ride when he bowled poorly in Tests and was over praised when he bowled well. Nowhere near as good as the top 5 seamers now and there are other younger ones who will challenge him.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Was a good days play, shame there is no chance of a result though having lost the opening 2 days. Onions bowled well and was the pick of the bowlers, probably sneaked ahead of Finn as reserve though if Broad got injured you would go for Finn on height grounds.

Samuels played beautifully, hope this is the start of a few years of him batting like this, stylish to watch and got some good wisecracks in his interviews and on the pitch. The game needs more characters like him.

 

[grecian]

I think Onions is a very decent Test Bowler, I'm not sure that's over-rating him, as I still don't think he gets in the side if everyone's fit. Obviously Finn has many years on him, and will hopefully have a much more illustrious career, but at the moment, Onions is comfortably ahead. Particularly as a 4-man attack, he bowls longer spells and has better control.

Not sure about others being better even potentially, the fact is you won't know until they play Tests, I'm a big fan of Woakes and Brooks, but there's no doubt they're both rightly down the pecking order.